FILIPINO AMERICANS COMMEND GOVERNOR ANDREW M. CUOMO & MAYOR BILL DE BLASIO FOR STANDING UP FOR NEW YORK VALUES AFTER ELECTION RESULTS

Mayor de Blasio to meet with President-elect Trump to communicate New York City’s concerns on Federal plans for the city

NEW YORK – Filipino American Democratic Club of New York, a political club that organizes and leads the Filipino American electorate in New York City and New York State, released the following statement:

The Filipino American community commends Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio for standing up to President-elect Donald J. Trump and showing Americans what New York values truly are. In a time of fear and uncertainty, we are working together and rising to the occasion to meet new challenges: our leaders are holding Trump accountable at the highest levels of government, while our communities organize at the grassroots level to do whatever we can to address the administration’s proposals that affect our values and way of life.

We commend Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s call to “fight as fiercely as we can, at every opportunity that presents itself, to reject the hateful attitudes that pervaded throughout the 2016 campaign,” for so clearly and forcefully naming white nationalism and xenophobia as voices we must organize against as a state and as a community, and for declaring that the state of New York is a refuge for immigrants. These values of tolerance and finding strength in our diversity are more than just New York values, they are American values for which our governor intends to make our state a shining example in these dark times ahead. This week, Governor Cuomo announced a hotline to report bias crimes in New York State: (888) 392-3644.

This morning, Mayor Bill de Blasio will meet with President-elect Trump to share the concerns of New Yorkers, and the fear that many of us feel, and to seek clarification on how President-elect Trump intends to treat New York City. We share Mayor Bill de Blasio’s concern about ensuring Roe v. Wade is protected by the Supreme Court, as well as his alarm over the proposed appointment of right-wing extremist Stephen Bannon to be the president-elect’s chief strategist. Mayor de Blasio has also loudly spoken out against Donald J. Trump’s support of unconstitutional stop-and-frisk policing in America and has indicated he will ensure the information in the IDNYC database will be protected from the Federal government.

It is more important now more than ever as widely-reported incidents of hate and bias against Asian Americans and indeed all Americans proliferate in New York State and New York City for our leaders to take clear and progressive positions on our community’s values. Filipino Americans are here to stay and we look forward to continue our work with Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio in the days and weeks ahead to protect and defend the values and the people of our great state and city.

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The Filipino American Democratic Club of New York is a political club that organizes and leads the Filipino American electorate in New York City and New York State. We are dedicated to advancing Filipino American and Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) issues and priorities among elected officials and candidates for public office.